😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $626 in Chaozhou.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $994 in Chaozhou.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,361 in Chaozhou.
😐Living in Medellin is roughly 65% more expensive than Chaozhou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin23% lower, Chaozhou53% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Chaozhou
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.4K
$2.12¥14.55
179.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 118.2K
$23.14¥158
41.53%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.0K
$3.39¥23.21
112.39%
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,140
$1.37¥9.36
24.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,966
$0.47¥3.19
134.04%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,605
$0.27¥1.84
166.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,022
$1.12¥7.68
49.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.2K
$2.76¥18.87
12.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Chaozhou
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,809
$1.78¥12.18
-40.45%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,497
$1.41¥9.69
-11.35%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,022
$0.72¥4.94
93.06%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,168
$1.03¥7.04
119.42%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.6K
$8.76¥60.0
-50.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.1K
$2.34¥16.01
149.57%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 31.9K
$10.93¥74.9
-19.21%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,099
$2.12¥14.50
5.66%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,882
$0.81¥5.55
33.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,522
$0.88¥6.02
73.86%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,950
$1.70¥11.62
-19.41%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,078
$0.59¥4.03
91.53%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,036
$0.43¥2.98
160.47%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,057
$0.44¥3.00
93.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,281
$0.27¥1.84
237.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,414
$2.73¥18.68
-14.65%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.2K
$11.08¥75.9
0.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,309
$0.72¥4.94
65.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,553
$1.14¥7.81
107.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Chaozhou
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,838
$0.29¥2.00
172.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 148.5K
$16.82¥115
144.53%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,184
$0.92¥6.30
56.52%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,901
$0.26¥1.77
634.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 28.9K
$6.60¥45.20
21.52%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,385
$1.09¥7.43
-13.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
$16.3K¥111.4K
10.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
$17.8K¥122.1K
50.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Chaozhou
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 303.1K
$38.52¥264
117.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.7K
$4.10¥28.10
134.15%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.2K
$11.58¥79.3
108.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Chaozhou
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 93.4K
$42.01¥288
-38.40%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 68.7K
$13.73¥94.1
38.67%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.1K
$6.02¥41.21
-34.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Chaozhou
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$463¥3,174
-33.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.4M
$17.2K¥117.6K
-65.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Chaozhou
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 209.1K
$12.15¥83.2
376.63%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 114.9K
$26.04¥178
22.20%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 360.6K
$84.1¥576
18.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 386.8K
$55.0¥377
94.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Chaozhou
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$282¥1,931
72.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$190¥1,300
93.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$583¥3,992
41.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$366¥2,507
95.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
$2,794¥19.1K
4.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
$1,976¥13.5K
-28.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Chaozhou
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
$468¥3,206
16.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
3.56
277.25%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Medellin: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Chaozhou: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $282 in Chaozhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 17% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $23.00 in Chaozhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $173 per month, with Chaozhou cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Medellin vs Chaozhou: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and Chaozhou?
Medellin and Chaozhou differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $626 including rent). Chaozhou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Medellin or Chaozhou?
Medellin pays 17% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and Chaozhou?
Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $282 in Chaozhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and Chaozhou?
Childcare runs $306 in Medellin versus $463 in Chaozhou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $626 in Chaozhou versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chaozhou but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Chaozhou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Chaozhou?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Chaozhou?
Expats usually find Chaozhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Medellin vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado